Automatic sheet handling arrangement in stitching machines



Oct. 15,1935. '0. KLEIVNSCHMIT Er AL 2,017,282

AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGEMENT IN ST ITCHING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 17, 1930 Oct.15 ,19 35. I o. KLEINSCHNDIIT ETAL I 2,017,282

AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGEMENT IN STITCHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 15, 1935.

AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGEMENT IN STITCHING MACHINES o. KLEINSCHMIT- Em. 2,017,282

Filed Sept. 17, 1930, 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Och 15, 1935.

0. KLEINSCHMIT ET AL ,01 8

AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGEMENT, IN- STITCHING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y Filed Sept. 17', 1930 Oct- 15, 1935. o. KLEINSCHMIT' ET AL AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGEMENT IN STITCHING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 17, 1950 lll ll I r vewiforJi 0.; air flaz'owlfolmz Z.

Jflor-neyf v Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SHEET HANDLING ARRANGE- MENT IN STITCHING MACHINES Oscar Kleinschmit and Oskar Miiller, Leipzig- Plagwitz, Germany, assignors to Gebruder Brehmer, Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, a Ger- Application September 17, 1930, Serial No. 482,638 In Germany June 6, 1930 24 Claims. (01. 112-21) 5 efiected in sequence, and more particularly concerns a' feed and delivery device for the sheets or signatures which are to be stitched or have been stitched.

The object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the feeding of the sheets to the first stitching position or. the conveyance of the stitched sheet or signature from the first to the second stitching position as well as the delivery thereof is effected in an automatic manner to the exclusion of all manual opera-- tions which naturally results in an increased productive performance of the machine.

According to this invention, we provide automatic sheet-handling mechanism adapted to grip a fed sheet or signature, convey the latter to its stitching position and to release the said sheet and pass beneath it in order to return to the initial position to receive another sheet.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one embodiment thereof is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a sheet or signature stitching machine with a sheet shown in the first stitching position.

' Fig. 2 is a similar view of the machine with the first sheet shown in the second stitching position-and a second sheet in the primary position. v

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of the sheet gripper with the blade spring about to trip over the cam finger in' order to seize a sheet.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the gripper engaging the sheet.

Figs. 'Iand 8 show the gripper with gripped sheet during the movement to the second stitching position, the cam finger being tripped.

Fig. 9 shows in side view the driving lever which is used for reciprocating the grippers.

Fig. 10 shows a detail, drawn to a larger scale, of a self-adjusting sheet lag or stop.

Fig. 11 is a detail view drawn to a larger scale,

of thesheet delivery member.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the sheet conveyor belt and friction rollers.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the sheet supporting table I, in the present instance a saddleshaped table, carries on its rearside to the left and to the right hand ends thereof two pairs of rollers 2, 3 and 4, 5 respectively, the roller 5 and II.

being driven'from a suitable source of power by means of a flexible shaft 50. An endless conveyor belt 33, mounted upon the rollers 2, 3 and 4, 5 extends along the whole effective length of the table I and engages, by means hereinafter 5 described the opened folded sheets or signatures laid upon the table I; the sheets being thus positioned beneath the stitching plate 35 forming part of a well known stitching device which will' not befurther described in reference to this invention. A sheet gripper which consists of a slide plate 6 provided with a slot 36 and a blade spring I securely attached to the said plate 6 is slidably mounted on guide bars 8, 9 so as to slide to and fro on or closely adjacent tothe front inclined face of the supporting table. The blade spring I which is adapted to lie very close to the upper. surface of the slide plate 6, is bevelled to a knife edge at its free end and is provided with a slot 31 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The bars 8 and 9 are horizontally positioned longitudinally of the table and securedto the latter by supporting brackets .lll

A cam finger M which is urged upward- 1y by a helical spring l3 (Figs. 3 to 8) is rotatably 25 mounted beneath the supporting table on a hearin the slide plate 6 to engage the under surface of the spring I when required ('Figs. 3 and 4). The position of the cam-finger l4 relatively to the stitcher head is so arranged that upon the forward edge of a sheet becoming registered with the said finger the sheet is suitably positioned for the insertion therein of the first stitch. The slot 31 in the blade spring 1 is of sufficient size to receive the upper part of the finger l4 when'registered therewith. Reciprocatory motion is imparted to the gripper mechanism by 40 means of a lever [5 which is pivoted to the arm 5 projecting from the lower part of the main frame I! (Figs. 1, 2 and 9). A lever 23 is pivotally secured at one end to a bracket mounted on the upper frame 25 by means of 'a pivot bolt 24 and is slidably connected at its other end to the lever l5 by means of a bolt 45 which is adjustably secured to the lever l 5 and forms a slid.- ing engagement with the lever 23. A short arm 2311' (Fig. 9) extending downwardly from the upper end of the lever 23 carries a follower 23b which engages a cam groove formed in an eccentric disc 22, which latter is mounted ,on a shaft 20. A gear wheel 2| is keyed on the sameshaft and engages with the gear wheel I9 which 56 is mounted on the drive shaft l8 and so drives the mechanism. The shaft 20 is rotatably mounted on the upper frame 25.

In order to form the sliding connection between the levers 23 and I and also to provideadjustment of this link mechanism to permit of handling sheets of varying size by this arrangement the levers l5 and 23 are provided with slots I50. and 230 respectively. The bolt 45 which passes through the slots and serves pivotally to con-' nect these levers is provided with a fixed shoulder 46 which abuts one side of the lever I5 to which it is clamped by means of a nut 41 which engages the threaded extremity of the bolt 45 strokes it must be moved upwardly and for larger signatures downwardly, whereby the stroke of the lever l5 and of the gripper mechanism'is reduced or increased respectively.

At the right-hand end of the supporting table front and rear sheet ejector guide plates 26, 21 are provided, being supported from the bracket II. The plate 26 is curved to form a trough and the plate 21 also curved so as to be positioned in the open side of the trough formed by the,

plate 26. The stitched sheets or signatures are deposited by the conveyor belt 33 between the guide plates 26, 21-. By reason of the curved shape of the plates 26, 21 the leaves of the opened r as a stop for the sheets which are delivered tosignature are closed together and the closed signatures caused to slide down upon the ejector angle bracket 28. The latter is resiliently supported in a slot 30 provided in the wooden frame 29 and moves downwardly in accordance with the load ofstitched sheets deposited thereon, the angle bracket being guided in its movement in the slot 30. A lay sheet or stop 3| attached tov the right-hand side of the wooden frame serves wards the right from the stitcher head (Fig. 1).

The means for so supporting the bracket 28' may comprise curved blade springs 28a (Fig. 1)

. adapted to press against the inner wall of the frame 23 in a well known manner. The wall against which the blade springs press may be inclined to, the vertical so that as the. bracket 28 descendsvunder the load of signatures deposited 7 thereon, the grip of the springs 28a isincreased proportionately to the load placed on the said Q bracket. v

The stitcher plate 35, which is adapted to move up and down in known manner during'each stitching operation, has loosely attached to the left hand end thereof (see more particularly Fig. 10) a stop 33. The stop 39 is loosely attached to the left-hand end of the plate 35, by bolts 33a. which pass through slotted bolt holes 39b. Thus when the plate 35 is in the lowered stitching position, the stop 33 by reason of its weight always rests on the supporting table during stitching irrespective of the thickness ofthe signature engaged by the stitcher plate 35. This stop 33 acts as a lag or jogging stop and thus. prevents V possibilityot a single sheet of the unstitched signature becoming loose :and passing prematurely beneath the stitching plate.

' In. order that .the'con'veyor belt shall: engage plate, it

' leaves or sheets the signatures so that the latter immediately at- :tain the desired speed, pressure rollers 40 (Fig.

12) are arranged above the belt to engage therewith. These rollers are adjustably mounted on a slide bar 4| arranged above the table and can a be adjusted to apply the necessary pressure to the sheet engaged thereby by means of a blade spring 42 and screw 43. The stitched sheets when released by the gripper mechanism, are gripped between the rollers 40 and conveyor band 33 and so conveyed further to the right and fed between the guide plates 26, 21 (Figs. 1 and 11) which receive the signatures or sheets in the opened or straddlewise condition and guide the together into the shut posi- 15 tion.

The operation is as follows: I'he material such as a folded sheet 32 to be stitched is placed on the supporting table i and conveyor belt 33 and the machine is then set in motion by depressing in 2 known manner a suitable control pedal. If desired the sheets may be automatically fed to the continuously operatingmachine. The conveyor belt 33 now brings the sheet engaged thereby under the stitching plate 35. During this pe- 2;, riod the sheet gripper mechanism driven by the eccentric 22 and the levers i5 and 23 moves from right to left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper part of the cam finger I4 projects, when in its erect position, above the supporting table I (Figs. 30 5 and 6). During the firstpart of the movement of the gripper to the left the upper part of the cam finger i4 engages in and projects through the slot 36 of the slide plate 6. The blade spring then rides over the upper edge of the 35 cam finger projecting above the table and is L thereby lifted upwardly (Figs; 3 and 4). When the gripper is in' this position the material to .be stitched, fed from the left, passes between the slide plate G and the spring I and abuts against 40 the cam finger, l4. The gripper then moves a further short distance to the left to complete its stroke whereby the spring urged cam finger trips into the slot 31 of the spring 1, which latter is thus permitted to descend in order to grip 45 the sheet (Figs. 5 and 6). At the same instant the stitching plate 35 moves downwardly in its normal stitching operation andthe first stitching is effected. When this is completed the stitching plate is retracted and the gripper together with the gripped sheet is moved as described to the right. During this movement the edge 33 of the slot 31 in the spring I engages the left-hand edge of the cam finger I4 which in this position is projecting through the slot 31 and in the movement of the gripper to the right rocks the finger I4 and-so depresses it beneathrthe 'sheet'(Figs. 7 and 8). The latter is thus provided with a clear path in its movement into 'the secondstitching position. In the latter position thegripper, to- 3 gether with the once stitched signature, momentarily comes'to rest.

When the stitcher plate 35 is lowered to completethe second stitching operation and the signature thus retained against further movement 5 the gripper continues to move further to theright and in sodoing and by reason of the resilience of the jaw I, the gripper slides off .of the signature or sheet and so releases the latter. At this point of itstravel by reason of the arrangement of the cam groove in the eccentric 22, the gripper is caused to reverse its direction of travel and again 7 move to-the'left." As the endof the spring I is bevelled and lies very closely against the slide neath thesheet and soreturns 7 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, that is to say resting upon the cam finger l4 and in the raised or sheet seizing position. During this period the second stitch is made in the first stitched.

sheet or signature 32 and another sheet placed on the supporting table to the left thereof (Fig. 2) by the operator or automatically. 'The second signature 49 (Figs. 2 and 10) which is transported by the conveyor belt 33 towards the right abuts against the stop 39 carried by the stitcher plate and now resting on the apex of the table I. After the second stitching operation upon the first signature 32 is completed, the stitching plate 35 is raised and immediately the two 'signatures 32 and 49 are both moved to the right by means of the conveyor belt 33 and associating rollers Ml.

The movement of the first stitched signature 32 continues until the opened leaves thereof are engaged by the guide plates 26 and 21 and closed together. Under the action of its own weight and motion to the right the closed signature passes downwardly and to the right in the direction of the arrow (Figs. 1 and 2). This downward travel is guided by the curved plate "26 whereby the shwts are caused to turn as they travel downwards. In this mannerthey are turned to the horizontal position when about .to impinge against the stop sheet 3| and are so piled on the slide, a sheet gripper carried by said slide, means for opening said gripper, and means for introsecutively the spring and the slot in said spring,

horizontal arm of the collecting bracket 28.

According to the number of stitched signatures and the corresponding weight thereof, the angle bracket slides slowly down the side of the stand 29. Meanwhile, the following signature 49 has been conveyed further to the right so as to pass between the slide plate 6 and. spring I of the gripper which is in the receiving position (Figs. .1, 3

and 4) and has so registered against the cam or sheet on the left side of the supporting table I The time occupied by the first stitching process and the displacement into the second stitching positionis available for the operator to place the next signature in position. It is obvious that by j tins-arrangement considerable time is saved and the machine can be more completely utilized or on the other hand unskilled operators can be employed.

As. already mentioned the arrangement [can be used for stitching doub'le sized sheets, i. e;-where two stitchingsare to occur in sequenceas well as for stitching signatures which have only to be stitched once. In the example above considered the stitching of double sized sheets has been described. If only one stitching per signature is to be performed, thegear wheels l9, 2i which for said member being removable from the path of travel of the sheet.

4. In a stitching machine, automatic sheethandling mechanism comprising a reciprocating 20 slide, a slotted gripper-spring mounted on said slide, a spring-urged member rotatably mounted beneath said slide and shaped to enga e one edge of the slot in the spring during the sheet-conveying stroke of the said slide tobe rocked away 25 from the path of travel of the: sheet conveyed.

5. In a stitching machine, automatic sheethandling mechanism comprising a slotted stitching table, a slotted slide plate, a gripper spring mounted on said plate, a spring-urged cam mem- 30 her mounted beneath said table and adapted to protrude through said table and said slide plate to engage said gripper spring for the purpose set forth.

6. In a stitching machine, sheet-handling 36 mechanism comprising a reciprocating sheet gripper, a gripper-actuating member, a main drive, cam mechanism driven from said. main drive and adjustable means for transmitting the throw of said cam mechanism to said reciprocat- 4o ing sheet-gripper..

7. Adjustable gripper-reciprocating mechanism as claimed in claim 6 comprising a slotted lever pivotally held at one end and connected at its further end to the sheet gripper, a slotted arm ,pivotally held at one end and adjustably linked at its further and to the said slotted lever, a cam driven from the main drive and means carried on said slotted arm to engage said cam.

.8. In a stitching machine, mechanism, comprising a stitching table, a stitcher head, and means carried by said stitcher head whereby the last stitched sheet is separated from the following sheet.

9. In a stitching machine, a sheet-handling B5 .mechanism, comprising a stitching table, a

two stitchings persignature have a ratio of 1:2

must be changed for gear wheels having a ra-. tio of 1:1 oralternately the slide mechanism v or the primary feed position.

' "-weblaim; i

39 and consestitcher head, a lay-stop carried by said stitcher head, and means of vertical self-adjustment for said lay-stop whereby the latter member contacts with the said table and engages the for- 60 ward edge of an advancing sheet for the purpose set forth.

10.In a stitching machine, in combination, a

mainframe, a stitching table, sheet conveying 1. In a stitching machine, automatic. sheeta handling mechanism comprising a reciprocating means associated with said table, means for en- 66 gaging said conveying means with a sheet, reciprocating sheet-positioning mechanism, means for reciprocatingsaid mechanism, means for adjusting thestroke 'of said mechanism, means for releasing said sheet from said mechanism and I0 means for returning said mechanism to its initial position. v 11. In a stitching machine, in combination, a. main frame, a stitcher-head, a stitching table, a sheet conveying .belt' associated with said I5 sheet-handling stitching table, self-adjusting rollers positioned above said belt to engage the latter with the said sheet, reciprocating sheet-positioning gripper mechanism, means for positioning said sheet in one of two positions beneath said stitcher head,

machineframe, a stitching table supported onsaid machine frame, a stitcher head, a sheet stop carried by a movable part of said stitcher head and adapted to rise and fall in the path of opened sheets moving along said stitching table, means for conveying to said stitcher head an opened sheet to be stitched, means for registering the said sheet beneath said stitcher head, means for-moving said stitched sheet to a further stitching position, means for conveying said stitched sheet from said stitcher head after stitching,a sheet stacker, means for delivering said sheet to said sheet stacker, and meansfor closing said sheet during delivery to said stacker.

13. In a stitching machine,'in combination, a machine frame, a stitching table supported on said machine frame, a stitcher head, a sheet stop loosely held on a movable, part of said stitcher head and adapted to be positioned in the path of an opened sheet moving along said stitching table, means for conveying to said stitcher head an opened sheet to be stitched, means for registering said sheet-in the first stitching position beneath said stitcher head, means for moving said stitched sheet to a further stitching position, means for conveying said stitchedsheet from said stitcher head, after stitching, a sheet stacker, means for delivering said stitched sheet to said sheet stacker, and means for closing said sheet during delivery to said stacker.

14. In a stitching machine, in combination, a machine frame, a saddle-shaped stitching table supported on said machine frame, a stitcher head, a movable stitcher plate forming part of said stitcher head, a sheet, stop loosely mounted on said movable plate and adapted to contact with said stitching table, means for moving an open sheet along said table to abut said step, means for registering said sheet in the initial stitching position beneath said stitcher head, means for moving said stitcher sheet to a further stitching position, means for conveying said stitched sheet away from saidstitcher head, a vertically movable sheet stacker, meansfor delivering said sheet to said stacker and means for'closing said sheet during its delivery to the stacker.-

15. In a stitching machine, in combination, a slotted saddle-shaped stitching table, a travelling sheet-conveyor belt traversing said table, gripper rollers associated with said conveyor belt, a stitcher head positioned above said table, a movable stitcherplate forming part of said stitcher head, a sheet stop carried by said stitcher plate and adapted to rest upon the stitcher table, a pivotal abutment adapted; to protrude through the slot in the stitching table and register an opened sheet in the initial stitching position beneath the stitcher head, a sheet gripper adapted to move'the sheet to the second'stitching position, means for conveying the stitched sheet. away from 16. In a stitching machine, sheet-handling 5 mechanism comprising a stitching table, a stitch-' er head provided with parts having an operative movement, means for conveying an opened sheet along said'table, means for holding said sheet stationary in at least one stitching position beneath said stitcher head prior to the operative movement of said parts of the stitcher head, a sheet stacker and a sheet-guiding device associated with said stitching table and stacker and v comprising stationary members adapted to receive each open sheet conveyed from said stitcher head and deliver same in closed book form to said stacker.

17. In a stitching machine, sheet-handling mechanism comprising a saddle-shaped stitching table, astitcher head provided with parts having an operative movement, a sheet conveyor belt associated with said stitching table, means for engaging said belt with an opened sheet placed straddlewise upon said saddle, means for holding 25.

said sheet stationary in at least one stitching position beneath said stitcher head prior to the operative movement of said parts oi the stitcher head, a sheet stacker adjacent, said table, and

- stationary guide plates positioned to receive the said stitcher head, means for passing beneath said stitched sheet said sheet-gripper to'engage the next sheet to be stitched, sheet delivery means, a sheet stacker associated with said sheet de opened sheets conveyed by said conveyor belt and adapted to deliver same in closed book form to said stacker. I

18. In a stitching -machine, sheet-handling mechanism comprising a stitching table, at least one stitching head operatively associated with said table and provided with parts having an operative movement means tor positioning-an open sheet in stationary position beneath said stitcher head-prior to the operative movement 40 of said parts of the stitcher head, means for varying the length of stroke of said sheetpositioning means, for conveying said opened sheet to and from said sheet-positioning means, a sheet stacker, and means for closing said sheet during delivery to said stacker.

19. Sheet-handling means as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sheen-guiding device comprises a curved plate forming a trough having a lateral opening and a second curved plate positioned aiL'acent the opening in said first plate to form a deflector for the open sheets fed to said device. 20. In a stitching machine, a stitching table,

- a stitcher head, automatic sheet-handling mechanism comprising a reciprocating slide, a sheet ripper carried by said slide, means for opening said gripper, means for introducing an opened sheet into the jaws of said gripper, means for displacing said gripper to position the sheet beneath said stitcher head, means for moving the sheet when stitched away from the stitcher head, and means for separating the stitched sheet from the following sheet.

21.- In a stitching machine, a stitching table, a stitcher head, sheet-conveying means associatedwith said table, means for engaging said conveying means with an opened sheet placed upon said table, reciprocating sheet-positioning mechanism, means for reciprocating said mechanism, means for adjusting the stroke of said mechanism, and means whereby the last-stitched sheet is separated fromthe following sheet.

22. In a stitching machine as claimed in claim 21, a sheet stacker, and a sheet-guiding device 7 associated with the sheet-conveying means, and adapted to receive each open sheet conveyed from the stitcher head and deliver same in closed book form to said stitcher.

23. In a stitching machine, in combination, a machine frame, a stitching table supported by said frame, a stitcher head provided with parts having anoperative movement, means for moving an opened sheet placed upon said table to a stitching position beneath said stitcher head prior to the operative movement of the parts of said stitcher head, and away from a stitching position beneath said stitcher head after the operation of the latter, means for registering said sheet in a stationary position to receive a stitch therein, means for moving said sheet when stitched to a further predetermined stitching position, a sheet stacker to receive the stitched work moyed away from said stitcher head, and stationary guide plates adapted to receive said opensheet and deliver same in closed book form to said stacker.

24. In a stitching machine, in combination, a machine frame, a stitching table supported by said name, a stitcher head provided with parts having an operative movement, continuously moving conveyor means arranged to engage an opened sheet placed upon said table and move said sheet to a stitching-position beneath said stitching head prior to the operative movement of the parts of said stitcher head, and away from a stitching position beneath said head after the operation of the latter, means tor registering the sheet in a stationary position to receive a stitch therein, intermittently actuated means for moving said sheet when stitched to a further predetermined stitching position, a sheet stacker to receive the stitched work moved away from the stitcher head, and stationary guide plates arranged to receive said open stitched sheet and deliver same in closed book form to said stacker. 

